Syria: dozens killed in an airstrike that hit the hospital in Aleppo, as violence intensifies

A rescuer trying to save a little girl in the area hit by the air
strikes in Aleppo
(Image: The Daily Mail Online)

An air strike hit a hospital located in the rebel-held area in the city of Aleppo in Syria on Friday, 29 April, as the fighting intensifies in Syria despite the ceasefire mediated by the UN and the world powers and declared since 28 February.

A hospital is located in Al-Marja district in Aleppo, controlled by the rebels. The hospital was operating under support of the Doctors Without Borders organization. More than 30 people were killed in an air strike, most of them medical personnel and patients of the hospital and inhabitants of the neighboring residential area. There are also children among the victims of the recent attack. Dozens were left wounded.

Syrian Geneva peace talks are expected to resume on Monday

Syrian peace talks held in Geneva
(Image: Haaretz)

Peace talks aimed at stopping the five year civil war in Syria that are expected to resume on Monday, 14 March, in Geneva, Switzerland, after the previous peace negotiations held in Vienna last year failed.

US Secretary of State John Kerry stated that the talks are more likely to be held on Monday despite several violations of the ceasefire by the sides, both Syrian government forces and rebels as well.

The ceasefire agreement was reached between the Syrian government and the representatives of the Syrian opposition and rebel forces at the end of February in Geneva, as the talks were mediated by US, Russia and UN. According to the latest ceasefire agreement the sides halt the hostilities and fighting starting from 27 February. The agreement did not apply to the terrorist groups including ISIS and Al-Nusra Front, as the fighting against these groups continues in different regions of the country.

Syria: the fate of a ceasefire agreement unclear amid Asad's assurances to respect it and Russian airstrikes

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and
US Secretary of State John Kerry during the ceasefire talks
(Image: CBS News)

The fate of Syrian ceasefire agreement brokered recently by USA and Russia remains unclear, as fierce fighting between the Asad's forces supported by Russia and rebel forces continues and fighting against the ISIS militants escalates.

After the failure of the previous Syrian peace talks held earlier in Vienna and recently in Geneva the ceasefire agreement reached after the Munich talks remains the only one glimmer of hope for Syrian people to have a break in the continuous fighting and airstrikes, that have already left thousands Syrians dead, mostly civilians.

Syria: partial ceasefire agreed at the Munich talks

Syrian talks in Munich
(Image: The Guardian)

The Guardian -MUNICH: A cessation of hostilities is to come into force in Syria within a week and humanitarian aid is to be delivered to besieged areas across the country in the next few days, the US, Russia and other powers said late on Thursday night at talks in Munich. There was no clear commitment to end Russian airstrikes, however.

Galvanised by mounting international concern over the war, John Kerry, the US secretary of state, said progress had been made towards implementing a nationwide “cessation of hostilities”, although it was not clear how this could happen unless Russia stops bombing civilians and mainstream rebels who are fighting the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad. Action against Islamic State would continue.

Geneva peace talks on Syria are temporary suspended by UN

Syrian peace talks held in Geneva, Switzerland
(Image: DW)

The UN mediated peace talk on Syria being held in Geneva, Switzerland, were postponed on Wednesday, 3 February. The peace talks are aimed at ending the five year long devastating civil war in Syria which left more than 260 000 people killed and forced nearly half of Syrian citizens to leave the country. The civil war also fuelled rise of the extremist ISIS group in the region.

The peace talks were suspended by the UN and in accordance with the statements of the Syrian oppositional groups due to the continuous attacks of the Syrian regime forces against the rebel held territories what prevents the humanitarian aid and supplies to be delivered on the besieged territories.

The UN announce start of Syria peace talks, as the government forces advance

Syria peace talks in Geneva
(Image: Reuters)

Reuters - GENEVA: The United Nations announced the formal start of peace talks for Syria on Monday and urged world powers to push for a ceasefire even as government forces, backed by Russian air strikes, launched their biggest offensive north of Aleppo in a year.

Government troops and allied fighters captured hilly countryside near Aleppo on Monday, putting a key supply route used by opposition forces into firing range, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.

Greek parliament votes to recognize the State of Palestine during Abbas visit

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Greek Prime Minister
Alexis Tsipras
(Image: The Independent) 

Independent - ATHENS: The Greek parliament has voted unanimously in favour of recognising the state of Palestine during a visit from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The government of Alexis Tsipras had previously been urged by the parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee to make the move, removing references to "the Palestinian Authority".

Parliament voted on the motion on Tuesday following an address by President Abbas, who held talks with Mr Tsipras on Monday night.

Syria peace talks: UN unanimously backs peace plan

UN Security Council session
(Image: Reuters)

UN Security Council has unanimously adopted resolution outlining a peace process in the war torn Syria. The 15-member Council has reached an agreement of this issue during the UN Security Council's session held on Friday, 18 December.

The resolution endorses peace talks to be held between the Syrian government and the opposition scheduled for early January 2016 and a ceasefire to be implemented for the time of the talks and further.

German Parliament approves military actions against ISIS in Syria

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and members of German
Parliament cast their votes in favor of military operationin Syria
(Image: Ahrma Online)

German Parliament approved on Friday, 4 December, German military actions against ISIS to be carried out in Syria, following the decision of Great Britain's Parliament to launch airstrikes against ISIS in Syria and the first series of bombings carried out in Thursday, 3 December.

German Parliament agreed to the mandate for deployment of Tornado reconnaissance jets, a frigate and up to 1200 troops. The Parliament supported this decision by an overwhelming majority of 445 voices in favor against 146 voices against.

Hopes for peace in Syria are dim if Assad stays in power, according to Obama

Syria peace talks in Vienna
(Image: NDTV)

AFP,Ahram-Online: Hopes for a quick political transition in war-ravaged Syria dimmed Thursday as embattled President Bashar al-Assad threw cold water on an ambitious timetable agreed at international talks in Vienna.

At the same time, the US held firm to its calls for Assad's departure, with President Barack Obama insisting the war could not end unless the Syrian leader steps down.

"I do not foresee a situation in which we can end the civil war in Syria while Assad remains in power," said Obama.

Syria peace talks in Vienna result in "concrete calendar" leading to elections

Participants of Syrian peace talks happening in Vienna, Austria
(Image: Al-Arabiya)

AFP, Al-Arabiya- VIENNA: World diplomats gathered in Vienna had agreed on a fixed calendar for Syria that would see a transition government in six months and elections in 18 months.

The 17 countries, European Union, United States and Arab League meeting in Vienna agreed agreed on Saturday to accelerate efforts to end the conflict in Syria by launching negotiations between the government and opposition by January and holding elections within 18 months, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said.

Egypt wins a seat on UN Security Council

UN Security Council
(Image: Egyptian Streets)

Egyptian Streets - CAIRO: Egypt officially locked a two-year, non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council after 179 of the 193 UN member states voted in favor of its membership on Thursday.

Egypt was vying for one of two seats allotted to the Africa Group, while Senegal won the second seat with 187 votes in its favor. Ukraine, Uruguay and Japan also secured the three other available seats on the Council, representing the Eastern European, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Asia-Pacific regions, respectively.

Russian military troops join combat in Syria

Russian soldier in Tartus, Syria, where Russian naval base is
 located
(Image: Daily Mail)

REUTERS coverage: Russian forces have begun participating in military operations in Syria in support of government troops, three Lebanese sources familiar with the political and military situation there said on Wednesday.

The sources, speaking to Reuters on condition they not be identified, gave the most forthright account yet from the region of what the United States fears is a deepening Russian military role in Syria's civil war, though one of the Lebanese sources said the number of Russians involved so far was small.

Iran and world powers reach a historic nuclear agreement in Vienna

Iranians celebrate historic nuclear deal
(Image: Independent)

Islamic Republic of Iran and six world’s major powers of the P5+1 group including US, Russia, United Kingdom of Great Britain, France, Germany and China have reached a historic agreement on Tuesday, 14 July, in Vienna, after the decades-long nuclear negotiations. This agreement has a great significance and could potentially change and reshape the world and the Middle East region. United Arab Emirates officials, for example, welcomed the deal and stated that it will definitely turn a “new page” for the Gulf region.

Under the Vienna Accord signed by Iran and six world’s major powers Iran will curb on its nuclear program, while the sanctions imposed against Iran by US, UN and EU since decades will be lifted.

Georgia: devastating flood left casualties and serious damages in Tbilisi

Flood in Tbilisi
(Image: Wikipedia)

Georgian capital Tbilisi was hit by the heavy rains on Sunday night, 14 June, causing a terrible flood in several districts of the city and leaving serious damages.

The flood occurred in the valley of the river Vere which is the right tributary of the Mtkvari (Kura) River streaming through the center of Tbilisi. The Vere river runs through Tbilisi Saburtalo and Vake neighborhoods and is characterized by the periodic flash floods. The biggest floods occurred previously in 1960, 1963, 1972 and 1995, with the 1972 flood causing many fatalities and flooding Tbilisi Zoo.

Eastern Ukraine: ceasefire is broken; fighting is ongoing amid the growing criticism of the international community

Battles on the outskirts of Donetsk city
(Image: BBC)

A ceasefire reached as a result of the Minsk talks is actually broken long ago, as pro-Russian “rebels” and terrorists and Russian soldiers continue attacking the positions of Ukrainian military and ATO forces, attempting to seize more strategically important object in the volatile Donetsk region.

The city of Donetsk itself experiences daily attacks and shelling, as the rebels organize their fire positions in the residential neighborhoods, schools and hospitals, using civilians as human shields. Many districts of the city were shelled recently, leaving casualties. Heavy fighting continues on the outskirts of the city of Donetsk and in many other cities of the region, including Volnovakha, Debaltseve, Schastya, Mariupol and others. 

Russian regular military forces invaded Ukraine, situation in Donbas region deteriorates significantly

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko
(Image: The Telegraph)

Russian regular troops and columns of military technique crossed Ukrainian border and entered Ukraine openly on August 27, capturing Southern Ukrainian city of Novoazovsk and several other cities in Amvrosiivka and Starobeshevo region. The cities remain under control of Russian soldiers and Russian backed terrorists of the so called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics.

The fact of Russian open military aggression against Ukraine and military invasion was confirmed not only by Ukrainian military, but also by NATO and US State Department, publishing the satellite images clearly showing Russian military troops and technique crossing Ukrainian borders and moving through the territory of Ukraine.

Hamas and Israel have agreed a long-term truce in Gaza

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas during the talks in Cairo

After 50 days of war in Gaza Israeli Operation Protective Edge reached its end as Israel, Palestine and Hamas, which is de fact ruling Gaza Strip, have agreed on a long-term ceasefire proposed by Egypt.

The truce ending seven weeks of a terrible war came into effect on Tuesday, 26 August, at 19:00 local time. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who attended Egyptian capital Cairo for the talks several times and traveled around Middle East seeking for support of the Arab countries in order to resolve the deepening crisis in Gaza, has announced about the long-term agreement with Israel in Ramallah, on Tuesday. Israeli Cabinet has announced about the beginning of a ceasefire later as well.

Updated: Israel accepted Egyptian ceasefire proposal and is expected to participate in the Gaza talks

IDF military strikes in Gaza
(Image: The Guardian)

After the previous ceasefire agreements between Israel and Hamas brokered by Egypt and USA failed Israeli Cabinet declared after its emergency meeting held on Friday, 1 August, that Israel finishes unilaterally its military operation in Gaza, withdrawing its ground troops from the besieged enclave and finalizing the operation aimed at the total destroying of the network of underground tunnels used by Hamas for smuggling and infiltrating Israeli territory.

UPDATED. Gaza conflict: Israeli military operation is ongoing as the death toll rises dramatically fast on the both sides and the ceasefire agreement is violated

Israeli military offensive in Gaza
(Image: The Guardian)

Israeli military Operation Protective Edge is ongoing for the twenty fifth day now, as IDF forces continue their ground offensive in Gaza, aiming to target the militants’ bases and facilities and to eliminate Hamas military activity in the besieged enclave. Israeli officials claim they target only militant object and don’t mean to harm any civilians, sending them constantly text messages and dropping the leaflets over Gaza urging people of Gaza to leave their homes and to evacuate for more safe places due to the ongoing military operation, but the tragedy is that there is actually no safe place left in Gaza anymore, as even the hospitals and the schools including those operated by UN and being used as refugees’ camps and shelters are being targeted by the Israeli forces constantly. At the same time Hamas continues to launch the rocket strikes against Israel, firing the rockets and mortar shells into Israeli territory. Israeli Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts dozens of rockets on a daily basis, as Israeli citizens hear the sirens every day, forced to run to the shelters.